Summer Nightmare
by harvestmoonlovee
Summary: This is going to be the best summer ever, right? When Claire and five friends get locked inside a mansion will the creepy caller turn their fun summer party into a summer nightmare? Can they get out before morning when the caller will pay them a visit?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

I catch myself falling asleep once again in class. My head rested on my desk and my straight, blonde hair was messily covering my face. Our teacher was making my class watch Romeo and Juliet for the tenth time. Right now is the last hour, of the last day before summer break finally starts. Soon we will have three whole months off and all the kids of Forget-Me-Not Valley will be free from school. The best part is, my parents and little sister leave for their annual trip to see my grandparents in Oregon. Since I am fifteen now I have to choice to leave or stay and my choice was easy. Stay. I will have the whole house to myself for two weeks.

I look up at the clock through my hair; still 55 minutes to go. I couldn't be more bored in this moment. I slowly raise my head off my desk and my cheek was already starting to stick. I use my hand to support my head as I try to focus on the movie and my bangs fall into my face once again. Suddenly, I feel something light hit my hand and fall onto my desk. It was a tiny piece of paper crumpled up tightly. I grab the wad and start to open it. It was a note from my best friend, Kai. Kai is a handsome guy who always wears a purple bandana on his head. He is tall, tan, and the sweetest guy I know. We have been friends since kindergarten. His handwriting is messy and diagonal. The note read: "Still 50 more minutes, can't wait until this torture is over!" I turn around in my chair and smile at Kai, who is already looking at me.

The climax where Romeo drinks the poison is on the screen, but I hardly notice as I write back to Kai. I grab my pencil and write: "I know, my parents are leaving tomorrow too, it's gonna be so fun to have the house alone! :) How many times have we watched this movie? How many times can Romeo and Juliet die?" I stealthily hand the note to Lumina, my rich girl friend, behind me to pass to Kai, who is behind her.

The movie ends and the teacher begins a whole lecture on the themes of the movie. I pretend to take notes when really I am drawing in my notebook. Finally, I hear the bell. The beautiful bell is ringing in my ear. I jump out of my desk and run out of my classroom. Kai, Lumina, Rock, and the rest of my class close behind. We leave the classroom and find Marlin and Celia already waiting for us outside. The six of us planned to meet up after school and go to Goddess pond to celebrate the beginning of summer break.

"We are free!" Kai exclaims as we exit the building.

"Finally!" Rock agrees.

My friends continue to talk, but I ignore them as I think about my plans for summer vacation. I feel the cool summer breeze on my face as we walk outside, instead of the stuffy school air, and it feels amazing. Our school is located right next to Vesta's farm and house and the path leading to Mineral Town. Mineral Town is the town next to ours. Our friends Popuri, Gray, and Cliff live in that town. They don't get out of school until tomorrow.

"So, off to Goddess pond right?" I ask my small group.

"Yup! Hang on! Let me get something from home first!" Celia says, running into her house.

Celia comes out five minutes later with a picnic basket and blankets in her hands. "I thought we might want to have a little picnic!" Celia smiles.

"Awesome, here let me grab one for you." Kai says, taking a basket from Celia's hand.

We walk past the huge crop fields next to our school where Vesta works and Celia and Marlin help out. The six of us cross the bridge to a separate piece of land holding more houses, the Inn, the Blue Bar, and a well. If you keep walking straight you would eventually come to stairs on your right that leads to Lumina's huge mansion.

As we walk to the path leading to the pond I look to each one of my friends laughing and talking and I think about how much fun I will have with each one of them this summer. Celia, the nicest girl I know. She has long, brown hair and always is willing to help out. She is so adorable and couldn't be friendlier. Marlin, Celia's forever crush, but both of them are too shy to make any kind of moves. He is quiet around strangers, but a good guy. Rock, the slightly obnoxious jock-like guy. He is cute, but it pretty confident about it. He is cool if you get to know him, but really lazy too. Lumina, a good friend of mine who is super rich. She owns a gorgeous mansion. Lumina knows she is well off, but she doesn't exactly flaunt it. She would rather play the piano all day. She and Rock fight like cats and dogs, but one day Lumina will realize that Rock isn't a bad guy and they will fall in love. I know it! That leaves Kai, my best friend. Handsome, sweet, caring, and funny Kai. We can have fun together no matter what, and yes I do have a crush on him, but I hide it because I wouldn't want to ruin anything.

We reach the beautiful pond which is next to a huge which is supposed to be inhibited by Harvest Sprites, which are sort of like fairies, or at least that's what my mom tells my little sister. I stop to look at the tree and sort of zone out for a second as my friends continue to put the blankets down. I seem to do this a lot, just stop and get completely lost in thought.

"Claire, Claire? Dreaming girl! Are you coming?" Kai calls.

"Oh yeah! Sorry, just thinking!" I laugh, running to catch up to my friends.

We lay the blankets out in front of the sparkling pond. Celia hands us each a sandwich and a bottle of water. She also brought some fruits, cheeses, and cookies for after lunch. Once I'm finished with my meal I lay back on the blanket and stare up into the sky. Kai plops down next to me.

"There isn't a cloud in the sky today! What a gorgeous summer day!" Kai smiles.

"Yeah, it sure is. I can't believe we have three whole months off. Finally, after all our work, we deserve a break."

"Your folks and sister are leaving tomorrow right? You're gonna to have the whole house to yourself." Kai asks.

"Yup, I'm staying home this year! I see my grandparents a lot, I don't need to go for the summer too."

"Good, I'm glad you're staying. I always miss you when you leave. Aren't you going to be a little lonely by yourself in your house though?" Kai winks at me, but then turns back to the sky.

These are the kinds of things Kai does that confuse the hell out of me. I sometimes thinks he likes me, but then it's so subtle, it could mean anything.

"I guess so.." I trail off as I look up at Kai whole is admiring the blue sky and I couldn't help but notice his brown eyes reflecting the sunlight. He noticed me staring at him and I try to quickly look away.

"Take a picture, it will last longer." Kai laughs.

I smile too. The blanket is placed on the grass and I reach out my hand to feel the cool grass next to me. I sun is really strong and warm on my right cheek. I turn my head to look at the others. Lumina and Rock are missing and Celia and Marlin were talking casually.

"Hey, Celia, Marlin, where are Lumina and Rock?"

"Oh, I don't know. I haven't seen them actually." Celia answers.

"Yeah, maybe they snuck off!" Marlin chuckles.

I smirk knowing exactly where they had gone. It had to happen sooner or later. I sit up and Kai follows.

"You know where they are right?" I giggle.

"Yes! Wanna go scare them?" Kai laughs.

We stand up and walk off the picnic blankets. Quietly, Kai and I tiptoe to the thick tree and peek around the trunk. Lumina and Rock are kissing, just as we suspected. Behind this huge tree is a place where most of the teens of Forget-Me-Not Valley go to make out or just hang out. It's a cool spot because just a few steps away is Goddess Pond. We both start laughing lightly. Lumina and Rock are always bickering and now this.

"I totally called it!" I mouthed to Kai.

Kai nods in agreement. We look at each other and run around the tree, both screaming at the top of our lungs. Rock and Lumina both stop and scream also.

"NOT COOL! You totally just ruined my game, Kai!" Rock pouts.

"This, um, isn't what it looks like!" Lumina stutters.

Kai and I both crack up as we walk back to the pond, Lumina and Rock, still in shock, walking behind us. We all sit down it a circle again on the blankets. The breeze was starting to pick up and it got somewhat chilly.

"Oh, so Lumina and Rock?" Celia teases playfully.

Lumina just blushed as Rock grinned confidentally. We sit in silence for a couple seconds trying to lose the awkwardness that was brought upon by their little stunt.

"Anyway, I am having a party at my house tomorrow, Saturday, at six, until whenever you want to leave. My grandma is leaving for that evening and she said I could have friends over. I want you guys all there and I am inviting the guys from Mineral Town, maybe Waffle Island." Lumina beamed.

"I'll be there!" Rock smirked, leaning towards Lumina.

"YES," I exclaim. "I would love to go!"

"Yeah, Celia and I can get off work." Marlin smiled looking at Celia.

"Of course! Sounds fun!" Kai smiled.

We leave the small pond at around six because it was getting late and today was the last day I had to spend with my parents before they left for Oregon. We first walked Lumina back to her mansion first, then Kai and Rock who live in the inn, and lastly I walked Celia and Marlin back to where they live near Vesta's farm.

It was only around 8 when I was crossing the bridge again. My house was north of the whole town. Suddenly, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see a silver haired boy and I knew exactly who it was.

"Skye. What are you doing here again?"

"Claire? I'm so happy to see you! I haven't seen you since, well.." His voice trailed off as he wrapped his arms around me. "It's been a while. You look beautiful this night."

"I thought you weren't supposed to come back here? After your little stunt at the Blue Bar?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Claire, I've changed! Forgive me, princess!" Skye pleaded.

Almost a whole year ago I met Skye at the Blue Bar. I was with Kai as Skye approached me.

_*Flashback*_

_"Hello Maiden." A beautiful boy with stunning silver hair came up to me at the bar counter. I was sitting down next to my best friend Kai and we were both drinking a soda. We were hanging out after school. _

_"Hi, there.." I started._

_"Skye." He interrupted, grabbing my hand and kissing my palm._

_"Nice to meet you, Skye." I blushed._

_"I was wondering, if you would like to spend a day with me sometime?" Skye glowed like the night sky. _

_"Um.." Before I could answer Kai had heard enough and was standing up next to Skye. _

_"Buddy, she is with me. Back off a little." Kai commanded_

_Before anything else was said a huge fight had broken out. Skye threw the first punch and Kai had followed with many more. _

_"STOP! Skye leave! Now!" By this time, Kai was on the bar floor and I was picking him up. Skye stormed out if the bar and I hadn't seen him since. _

_*End*_

"It has been a while, Skye, I would honestly love to get to know you, but I have to get home," I start to say. "Phantom, please stay out of trouble." I whisper. I kiss him on the cheek before I turn away.

"More lovely than the stars." I hear him behind me, barely audible.

I continue on my way home, in the freezing, windy night. I finally reach my house to find my mother, father, and sister all sitting on the couch. When you first walk into my house you see the kitchen all the in back, along with the dining table. To the right is a couch and a small tv. If you look to the right you will see a hallway and down that hallway is two bedrooms and a small bathroom. My house is pretty small, but we have a barn and coop outside, along with a large plot of land.

"Hey Mom, Dad, Lucy!" I smiled walking in the front door.

"Hi sweetie! How was Goddess pond?" My mother asked. My family was gathered around our small tv watching.

"Fuuun! We just hung out and had a picnic." I said placing my jacket in the closet.

"That sounds cool, so we are leaving tomorrow as you know, could you help us pack a bit?" My father said.

"Course! Hey Lucy, how was your last day?" I ask my little sister. I walk to the couch and plop down next to my sister.

"Great! And I'm excited to see Mama and Papa tomorrow in Oregon!" My little sister, Lucy, grinned. She was only 8 and had a tooth missing in the front.

I ruffled her hair and smiled.

"Do you have any plans for these next weeks?" My mom questioned.

"Um, yeah! Lumina is having a party tomorrow actually. So, I'll be over at her house!" I answered.

"Sounds fun, be safe." My dad joked.

"Promise daddy, I'm a good girl! Don't worry! Just have fun in Oregon!"

Later that night I helped my family pack and get ready for their flight in the morning. I fell onto my bed and passed out from exhaustion. I woke up in the morning to say goodbye to everyone and wish them a safe flight. Right after my family was gone, my friends were already on their way over.

"So this party, what are we going to do?" I smiled.

"I say we eat a lot!" Kai laughs. Kai was always joking and always eating.

"I imagine there will be a lot of ladies there!" Rock smiled slyly.

"Of course, but it's going to be a dance party! _Lots_ of dancing and just hanging out!" Lumina beamed.

"Sounds great!" Celia giggled.

"Ha, I can't really dance.." Marlin looked at the floor.

"Don't worry, Marlin." Celia smiled looking at Marlin, who blushed even bigger.

My friends and I hung out at my house all day. We watched movies, played board games, and talked about our summer plans. For the first time, nobody was leaving on any trips and we would be able to spend the whole summer together.

That night Celia and Lumina stayed at my house and we decided to have the girliest sleepover to prepare for the party tomorrow. We painted each others nails, brought over our dresses and shoes, laid out our makeup and hair products, read magazines, and gossiped all night long.

"So did you hear about Griffin and Muffy? They totally hooked up last night!" Lumina exclaimed.

"No way," I laughed. "Like when, how?"

"Apparently, they made out behind the tree!" Celia giggled. "Like you and Rock, Lumina!" Celia smirked.

"Hey! Like you and Marlin are any better!" Lumina grinned.

"Woah, what happened with you two?" I chuckled.

"Nothing," Celia blushed. "Yet."

"Yet? Oh, what is this yet?" I giggled.

"Rumor has it he is going to ask her to dance at the party," Lumina said. "And what about Kai? He's been awfully quiet lately! Probably a little love struck! When is he going to make his move, Claire?"

"What do you mean?" I asked dumbly, already knowing what she meant.

"You guys are totally in lovey dovey too!" Celia laughed.

"No, he doesn't like me like that! Even if I do.."

They both said "Ohhh" in a girly voice as I blushed. I had great friends and it was fun just to hang out like total girly girls. We all crashed on the floor really late at night. When we woke up it was already 12. I quickly whipped up some breakfast/lunch as the girls showered.

"Breakfast!" I called.

The two girls came rushing into the kitchen and scarfed down their eggs and bacon. They gulped down their orange juice and ran back into the bathroom. "Thanks!" They both called back. I cleaned up and decided it was time for me to start too. I showered for almost half an hour, just letting the warm water run down my body. I just stood there and thought. I finally got out of the shower and it was already 2:30. I only had three and half hours until the party!

We all rushed over to Lumina's mansion in our pj's to get ready at there. Celia and Lumina both curled their hair, while I wanted a more natural look and kept my straight hair. I straightened my bangs and helped Lumina curl her short brown locks. Finally, it was time for makeup. For myself I put on a darker red lipstick and light grey eyeshadow and mascara. Celia had a tan, light, natural look, while Lumina had a green eye shadow and clear lips. My outfit was a loose fitting white top tucked into a high-waisted black skirt and black ankle boots with my white socks showing. Lumina had a yellow dress with white flats. Celia wore a black shirt with a longer, dark green skirt and brown combat boots.

We were all ready by 5:30 when we heard the doorbell ring. We all turned around instantly and at the same time. My phone began to ring as the other girls ran towards the door. I answered my phone, but it was just a dial tone, no voice or anything. I thought I heard someone breathing, but it must just be the wrong number. I hung up and shrugged it off. I left my phone in the bathroom as I ran to catch up with the two other girls.

"That must be the guys!" Lumina exclaimed.

"What guys?" I asked.

"Our guys, silly!" Celia giggled.

Lumina opened the door and there stood Rock, Marlin, and Kai grinning bigger than ever. When I saw Kai standing there looking more gorgeous than ever I knew this was going to be a fun party.

* * *

**So, here is a new story I am working on! :) I hope you enjoyed this first part! SORRY if it's a bit boring right now, it will get better once I get into the mystery parts! PLEASE please REVIEW with any and all comments, suggestions, opinions.. anything(: Thanks in advance! I will post the next chapter ASAP! **


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello ladies." Rock smirkEd.

It's windy outside; you could feel the chill as we opened the door. Kai looked extremely handsome. He was dressed in jeans, with a casual button down shirt, tennis shoes, and his signature purple bandana. Rock was dressed super casual, a white vest, blue long sleeve shirt, white jeans, and a necklace that he never lets out of his sights. Rock's hair was parted down the middle and combed neatly. Marlin, on the other hand, had his hair the same Elvis sort of style. Marlin was also dressed as usual with a white button down, jeans, and black dress shoes.

We all gave each other hugs as the guys walked inside. Lumina's mansion was huge and had at least 30 rooms. There were hallways and doors for what seemed like miles. The carpets were red and the walls were gold. When you first walked in though, you saw grand stairs. She had decorated the night before with lights and streamers hanging from the ceiling. The white lights twinkled above us and the cream colored streamers hung low.

"This place looks good!" Kai smiled.

"Thanks! So you guys wanna hang out in the living room? That's where the music is going to be playing and where the food is going to be served." Lumina smiled sweetly.

We turned right down a long hallway, which lead to the main living room. It was completely cleared out for the party. The room looked even bigger. The walls were white, but the colorful lights made them look rainbow. The couches were pushed against the walls to the left and right. The center of the room was empty and ready for dancing. Straight ahead was a DJ, a huge stand with spin tables, and loads of CD's. A disco ball was hanging down and lights were flashing.

Wow," I said, shocked.

"Whoa, this looks.." Marlin's voice trailed off.

"Yeah, you really are rich," Rock scoffed.

"Thanks! Glad you like it!" Lumina beamed.

Soon the guests started arriving and I was on the dance floor with my friends. Gray, Popuri, and Cliff from Mineral Town were the other first guests to arrive. Soon the house was packed with guests. Luke, Selena, Kathy, Luna, and Julius from Castanet also arrived. The music was blasting and the dance floor was packed. Even some people from Sunshine Islands decided to make an appearance. I danced with Denny, my childhood best friend, and Kathy who I hadn't seen in months. Julius even complimented my outfit.

"Are you having fun, Claire?" Kai said, coming up behind me while I was dancing.

"Are you kidding? Of course I am!" I laughed. "Dance with me?"

Kai wasn't much of a dancer, but he tried and had a lot of fun with it. He swayed to the music and jumped up and down when appropriate. I grabbed his hands and he twirled me around. We laughed and continued to dance. The DJ was playing all kinds of music, 80's to modern music.

Lumina and Rock were dancing next to each other. Celia and Marlin were even dancing along and giggling. I started dancing with Luna, when suddenly, the music turned slow and I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"May I have this dance, my lady?" Kai smirked.

"Of course you can." I smiled

Kai placed his hands gently on my waist and I wrapped my arms around his neck. We slowly swayed left and right to the beat of the relaxed song. Our feet moved side to side. He guided and I followed. I looked around to notice everyone was slow dancing also. The whole floor was filled with couples gracefully dancing to the melody.

Kai pulled me closer and I stepped towards him also. He smirked. I tightened my arms around his neck and he locked his fingers behind my waist. We continued to sway. He looked deep into my eyes. His eyes were a dark chocolate brown and reflected the light of the disco ball above. My mouth started to creep into a smile as he slowly leaned forward towards my face. I closed my eyes and inched closer also. My hand moved from his neck to his soft cheek. I could feel his breath of my face. Abruptly, the music stopped and the song changed. Everyone started bouncing around again and I lost concentration. I opened my eyes and leaned back again. Kai let go of my waist and rolled his eyes. Kai bit his lip and looked at me. Was he really about to kiss me?

"Hey, let's get some punch." Kai sighed.

"O-Okay." I managed to get out.

I was still confused about what just happened. Was Kai going to kiss me, or did I just make a total fool of myself leaning towards him? Why can't he just stop sending me all these mixed signals? I admit, I do like Kai. He is my best friend though and I don't want to ruin anything. Here goes this internal conflict thing that always happens to me. Maybe I should just make a move. I'm so lost.

I follow Kai to the table, which holds snack foods and drinks. I saw a punch bowl, mini cakes, candies, sodas, and chips. I'll be the first one to say, I'm not the skinniest girl in Forget-Me-Not Valley. I'm not fat, but I'm a thicker girl. People might say I need to watch what I eat, but I could care less about what people think of me. I grab a mini cake off the table and take a bite.

Kai grabbed me a cup and poured me punch before getting one for him. I took a sip, but as I was drinking someone bumped into me from behind causing me to spill the bright, red drink all over my shirt. I gasped and stepped back as I felt the drink go all over me. The cold liquid dripped down my shirt and made a puddle on the floor. I turned around to see who it was and it was Luke, from Castanet.

"Um, I'm so sorry, Claire." Luke said, running to get napkins off the table.

"Oh, it's fine." I said.

"What the hell, man?" Kai shouted.

"It was an accident!" Luke said, handing me the napkins.

"It was, Kai. Let it go," I sighed, patting down my shirt. "Thanks for the napkins. I have to go to the bathroom."

I leave the party room and walk down the hallway to my left where the nearest bathroom was. I turn on the light and found our hair products and makeup from earlier still sprawled out on the floor. I noticed I had left my phone on the edge of the sink so I picked it up and checked it. I sit down on the closed toilet seat and see I have 15 missed calls from the number that had called me earlier.

"Okay, that's creepy. Who could this be?" I say under my breath.

I decide I can call them back after the party and continue to clean myself up. Maybe it's my parents? Or someone who keeps butt dialing me? I take off my shirt and dry myself with a towel. Lumina had a drawer in every bathroom with extra clothes, which I thought was a smart idea, so I put one on. It was a white shirt like mine, but it had a sparkly star on the front. I tucked it into my skirt. I wash my hands, freshened up, and put my phone in my pocket. I examine my white, now red, shirt. It doesn't look like this stain will be coming off anytime soon.

Kai must have followed me because he was waiting for me outside the bathroom. He asked me if I was okay. I said I'm fine and we started walking back to the dance room.

"You got the stain out of your shirt?" Kai asked.

"Oh no, this is one of Lumina's."

"Oh, I like the sparkly star." Kai laughs.

I stopped walking and asked, "Hey, Kai, you don't recognize this number, do you?" Pulling out my phone to show Kai.

"Nope, why?"

"They have called me, like, fifteen times tonight.." My voice trailed off as my phone began to ring again.

"See! Again they are calling!" I answered it and put it on speaker as I shakily said hello. Once again there was no voice, just a light breathing as if someone was there.

"Stop calling here please.." I stuttered. Then the phone hung up abruptly.

"Hm, maybe wrong number." Kai said completely unfazed by the phone call. Kai began to walk again. I was starting to get freaked out though. Could this be a stalker, or something? My hands began to sweat and I felt all the sudden anxious. It can't be. We live in a small town; this isn't some horror movie.

I was still frozen in place from fear and couldn't move. Kai grabbed my hand and dragged me down the long hallway. I tightened my grip on Kai's hand and followed behind.

The party room was just as lively as it was when we left. The music was on full blast, the dance floor was crowded, and the lights were flashing. It was already ten, but nobody had slowed down.

"So, wanna dance again?" Kai grinned.

"Sure." I tried to laugh.

Kai spun me around and danced with me for another hour. It was nice having Kai with me the rest of the night. Every time I looked up he was staring at me. I felt safe with him and no matter what; we were having a blast, for now. I hadn't seen Celia, Lumina, Marlin, or Rock for a while so I assumed they were together. I saw Lumina walk up to the DJ stand where the microphone was and tap it to get everyone's attention.

"Hello, everyone! So as you know the curfew for teens in Forget-Me-Not Valley is midnight and it's already eleven so you guys have to leave now. Hope you had fun! Bye!" Lumina smiled as she stepped down from the microphone.

The music stopped and the lights turned on. The guests all grumbled from disappointment, but it was getting late. Everybody started to grab his or her things and clear the dance floor. I walked out the room also, following the crowd. One by one we all said goodbye to the people of the other towns as they walked out the mansion door.

"Get home safe!" Lumina shouted.

Lumina shut the door and turned to the six of us still standing in her mansion.

"Hey Lumina, there isn't a curfew for us here.." Rock chuckled, slightly confused.

"No duh," Lumina said sarcastically. "I just wanted to hang out with my best friends alone for a while."

"Aww!" I laughed, hugging Lumina.

The six of us made our way into Lumina's bedroom, which was more like an apartment size room. She had a typical princess room. Lumina had a king size bed with tons of pillows and blankets. Posters, pictures, and expensive collectable items covered the shelves on the walls. In one corner of the room was a large couch and TV. She also had yellow wallpaper.

We all squeezed ourselves onto the couch as we normally did and turned on the TV. The order was the same as it always was. Lumina was first on the left, then Rock, me, Kai, Celia, and lastly Marlin.

"You guys are getting fatter or something because we don't fit like we used to in middle school." Rock joked.

Lumina pressed buttons on the remote, but the TV wouldn't turn up. It kept saying the signal was disconnected. Kai got up and checked the back of the television, but nothing seemed to be wrong. Lumina kept pressing the power button, but nothing would turn on.

"Weird, this was a really expensive TV!" Lumina whined.

"Yeah, well you can just take it in and have it looked at." Kai suggested, taking his seat again next to me.

Lumina sighed and put the remote down. "You guys wanna play a game?"

"No," I answered. "The only games you like to play are spin the bottle and truth or dare." I joked.

"That's true!" Marlin laughed.

"That isn't true," Lumina said. "We could play.."

"Hey, my phone is missing." Rock interrupted, frantically searching through his pocket.

"Mine is too!" Celia called out.

"You guys probably left them in the party room, I'll go check." Lumina said, walking out of her bedroom.

"Be careful!" Before I could think, I had already said it. It made no sense to anyone, but me. Everyone turned and was looking at me curiously now.

"Of what?" Lumina gave me a weird look.

"Oh nothing, I guess I'm just a little jumpy tonight." I tried to play off my little slip up.

"Obviously there is something wrong. What is it, Claire?" Celia asked.

"Is there something bothering you?" Marlin questioned.

"No, I didn't mean be careful.."

"Claire has been receiving calls all night from some random number and is freaking out about it. I already told her it's no big deal!" Kai said, almost angry.

"Kai! It might be a big deal!" I argued.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Claire." Lumina consoled me.

"Yeah, it might be a joke, or a phone stuck on redial!" Marlin said.

"Or it could be a murder stalker!" Rock laughed.

"Not funny, Rock! You are scaring us!" Celia said.

"I'll go look for your guys phones, hang on." Lumina sighed.

We noticed that everyone's phones were missing, apart from mine. Mine was still tucked into my pocket, with three new missed calls. Whoever this caller was wasn't planning on stopping. I ignored it and tucked my phone back into my pocket.

"Nope, no phones!" Lumina announced. She had brought back a bag of chips and a bottle of soda.

"All of our phones are missing, except Claire's." Kai said.

"That is weird actually," Lumina sighed. "Mine is gone too." She said checking her pockets. Lumina sat back down next to Rock on the couch and Rock slid his arm behind her.

"Scared now?" I asked.

They all shook their heads and continued to talk as if nothing had fazed them.

"It's okay, it's no big deal, and it's getting late anyway." Celia said.

"Celia and I have to get back home, sorry." Marlin said. "When you find them, maybe you can give them to us later?"

"Oh okay, we will walk you out!" Lumina smiled.

We all followed Lumina through multiple hallways until we reached the front door. My phone began to ring once again. I held it up for everyone to see and I answered, expecting to hear nothing. This time a mans voice came through the phone.

"I have your phones." The voice almost chuckled, and then hung up abruptly.

"Probably just a friend from the party! It's just a trick! I can't believe someone would take our phones though!" Kai said, trying to laugh it off. "Calm down, Claire Bear!"

I hesitantly put the phone back into my skirt pocket. Kai placed his hand on my free hand and smiled at me. Celia and Marlin didn't look worried either. They just shrugged their shoulders and continued walking. I was scared now; I knew this wasn't a joke. I had never heard that voice before.

"You don't think this is weird?" I said roughly.

"No, who would wanna really scare us," Kai said. "There is nobody in this town, at least, that would ever want to hurt one of us! Everybody knows each other, Claire."

"That's true, Claire. Don't worry!" Celia smiled.

They had to be somewhat nervous too. They were just lying to protect me because they know I worry a lot. I was still shaken; it wasn't normal for somebody to call this many times. There was one person who wasn't mentally stable in this town, at least I thought. This person was the only person I could think of that could do something crazy to six teenagers. I shook the thought off, took a deep breath, and continued walking.

We passed the room where the party was held. Just a little while ago that room was bursting with energy. People dancing, music playing, and lights flashing. Now the room was silent, nothing was moving. I squinted my eyes to look at a window in the back of the room. It looked like something was written on it in red spray paint. Had someone brought spray paint to the party?

I walked cautiously into the room towards the large window. The words "Round One" were written in red paint across the entire window. I reached my hand out to touch the cold glass; the words were written on the outside. Nobody could have gone out there because the window looked out into Lumina's backyard, which she had closed off for the party. I gasped, pulled my hand back, and covered my mouth. What could those words mean? Are my five friends and I trapped in some sick game?

I ran as fast as I could out of the room and caught up with Celia, Marlin, and Kai. Lumina and Rock went ahead and were already trying to open the door. Lumina had her hands wrapped around the doorknob and was twisting it forcefully.

"That's so weird.." Lumina scuffed.

"What, babe?" Rock asked.

"The door, it won't open!" Lumina struggled.

Rock pulled at the door also, but it wouldn't budge. The knob wouldn't click either. We all tried, but the door was somehow locked from the outside. This door was thick, huge, and wooden. There was no way to kick or break it down. The edge was rimmed with gold and the design was intricate.

We gave up on opening the door and all sat down in front of it. We formed a mini circle all facing each other.

"Someone will come.." Celia sighed.

"People will know we are missing," I said. "There are six of us."

"Yeah, Vesta will look for us!" Marlin half-smiled, putting his arm around Celia.

We sat in front of the huge door, just waiting for a few minutes in silence. Just as I was about to talk, my phone once again began to ring. Everybody looked at me like a deer in headlights. I knew it, this wasn't a prank. Whoever was calling had to be responsible for all of this. Their phones, the door, the window. The question was, what will be their next move? I was frozen with fear also so Kai took my phone out of my pocket. He clicked the answer button.

"Let the games begin." The voice said. The next thing we heard was the dial tone.

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**Hey guys! :) So I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry, it's still a little slow, but it will pick up soon enough; bare with me! Haha! Thank you for reading and now PLEASE REVIEW! You have no idea how much a little review means to a person! (: I will be updating soon!** **Feel free to PM me with suggestions or questions or anything along those lines! Every just to say hi! **

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	3. Chapter 3

For a minute, everything froze. Nothing was moving in the entire world. I couldn't breathe and I doubt the others were either. There was no sound throughout the mansion. Not one of us moved a muscle. I can't imagine my other friends were thinking straight. We were paralyzed with fear. I couldn't find the words to say; I don't think there was anything I could have possibly said to make this situation better. When I finally was able to take a breath, my mouth and throat were dry. Someone had put us six into their sick game. The only question was, what are the rules?

"This isn't a joke." My voice cracked.

"I know." Kai whispered.

"W-What are we going to do?" Lumina started to sob lightly.

"We HAVE to get out of here!" Rock screamed, jumping up to try to pull the door open again. He pulled and twisted the knob to no avail. The door wouldn't budge. Rock sighed and slid down the wall, back into a sitting position.

"Getting out might not be the best idea!" I blurted out.

"W-Why?" Kai asked.

"I saw round one painted on a window in the party room. It was from the outside."

"Oh my god." Lumina gasped.

"We have to think of a plan, or something." Marlin suggested.

"Like what? I doubt anyone can think right now!" Celia argued.

"Well, we have to try." Marlin said.

"I-I honestly don't know what this person means by game!" I cried out.

"Shh, don't worry, Claire. We will be fine," Kai slid next to me and put his arm around me. He hugged me tightly from the side. "It's just a game and I always win games! Remember when we used to play Monopoly?" Kai chuckled.

It was true. Kai was the master at all games. Board games, sports games, carnival games. Kai was good at and won them all. Kai was smart and thought critically. He wasn't fooled easily. Maybe he could get out alive during this one.

Lumina was crying harder now and Rock rubbed her arm, trying to calm her down.

I began to analyze all of my friends, wondering how they would cope with this kind of pressure. Could they survive if they were really put to the test? Lumina was smart, but sensitive. She might just crack in this kind of intense situation. Her grandmother continually presses her to be a perfect young lady, Lumina has a different outlook on life. She loves to be outside. Maybe her knowledge of nature could help us.

Now, Rock. Rock is completely arrogant, obviously. I guess you could say he is a "dumb blonde". He is flirty, but rarely if ever succeeds in charming the ladies. He can be pretty convincing though. Maybe if we come face to face with this psycho he could persuade them out of killing us.

Celia, sweet, innocent, Celia. If there is one person who shouldn't be in this situation, it's her. She has never done a mean thing in her life. She is generous, caring, and the best listener. She is very smart though. Unlike Kai, who is street smart, Celia is very book smart. I'm sure she could figure out loopholes in the rules of this twisted game. She could help us get through these rounds, or whatever.

Marlin. Marlin is the one who going to keep us sane. We might all have cracked without Marlin. He is quiet, but he never loses his cool. I'm sure he would be able to calm us down when necessary. I can't remember him ever getting scared, but this is a whole different situation.

All that's left is Kai and I. Kai, the guy I secretly love and my best friend. He was smart and creative. He could easily win any game. Kai knew how to find all the loopholes. He could also keep us grounded during this fiasco. I was scared, but I knew Kai would be here to comfort me. I wish I could just tell him how I feel and not be distracted by it.

"Claire? Claire! You are dazing off on us!" Kai snapped in my face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just thinking." I responded.

Kai looked into my eyes and tried to smile. I read his eyes and it was almost as if they are saying 'Don't worry, everything will be okay.' He placed his hand on my knee and rubbed it in a caring way. He always knew what to do and say that would make me feel better. I knew this wasn't a good situation, but I wouldn't want to go through it with anyone else.

"What do you think we are going to have to do?" Celia whispered.

"I-I don't know," Kai stuttered. "But we won't hurt each other."

"Of course not." Lumina was almost cut off by the dreaded sound of my phone vibrating. All of us jumped a little at the loud sound. The twisted person called again at the perfect moment. As if he or she was watching us.

Kai picked up the phone, clicked answer, and held the phone up to his ear. He shakily said hello.

"Hello, Kai," the voice said evilly. "Would you like to know the rules to this game?"

"Y-Yes." Kai answered.

"There are twenty bedrooms in this house, one of which may hold the key to your survival. You must find the first key hidden somewhere in one of the bedrooms. You have until six a.m. to finish the game. I will be calling back when you find the first key. Oh, and good luck." The caller abruptly hung up so Kai placed the phone in his pocket.

"How are we supposed to find a tiny key hidden in ONE of TWENTY bedrooms in a mansion?" Rock whined.

"I think we should split up." Marlin suggested.

"That's not safe!" Lumina cried.

"But it's more efficient!" Marlin argued.

"We have no way to contact each other!" I responded.

"Screams." Kai said.

"We are going to scream at each other?" I asked. Kai just shrugged.

"Let's just do it. In couples. Simple." Rock stated.

That means its going to be split up the same way it always was. Kai and I, Marlin and Celia, and Lumina and Rock. If we ever were separated this is somehow how we always ended up. It's like we were destined to be with the person we always got split up with. In my case though, we were always just friends. I was always hoping when we were alone Kai would make his move, but he never did. I have never told anyone this, but I haven't even had my first kiss yet, while Kai has had plenty.

"Let's go, Claire." Kai command.

"There are three floors in this house, which means every couple will take a floor." Lumina said. "Rock and I will take the third, Celia and Marlin the second, and Kai and Claire, you stay here on the first. Remember, look carefully and throughly, but also fast."

"Alright, let's go." Rock said running up the stairs, dragging Lumina by the hand.

"See you guys in a jiffy." Celia tried to smile. She looked at me with sad eyes and ran her fingers through my hair. Marlin nodded at us as he placed his hand around Celia's back, guiding her up the stairs.

"Then there were two, just like I like it." Kai pursed his lips and stared into my eyes for a quick second. Kai gently grabbed my hand and we walked into the first bedroom. This bedroom was just another one of the fifteen guest bedrooms. Nothing special, almost like a hotel room. One window, two beds on either side of a small table with a lamp, and a small flat screen tv propped up in front of the beds on a bookshelf.

"Alright, if I was a sick murder where would I hide a key?" Kai scoffed.

I had to let out a tiny giggle at that one. It was completely true. I ripped open a pillow off the bed and all that fell off was feathers. I did the same for the three other pillows and got the same results. Kai looked under the beds, table, tv, and bookshelf. We found nothing. We tore the bedspread off and looked through all the blankets. We looked in the drawers, lamp, and the window sill. Absolutely nothing. Kai even threw the tv on the floor and inspected the inside of it.

"Why does Lumina need twenty bedrooms in her house?" Kai rolled his eyes.

"Because she can. Better get to looking a the next one." There are six bedrooms on this floor and seven on the other two. It was already midnight which meant we have six more hours before whatever happens at 6a.m. Kai and I throughly examined the next four bedrooms to no avail. We tore apart the three guest bedrooms and even the master bedroom on the first floor. Nothing.

Kai and I walked into the last guest bedroom on our floor. I gasped as I saw a shiny metal key lying in front of the lamp on the table in the middle of the two beds.

Kai, look!" I said running over to the bedside table.

"STOP!" Kai screamed. He ran up behind me and pulled be back by the waist.

"What?" I asked, angrily.

"It could be a trap for all you now!" Kai whispered. Kai was still holding me tightly around my waist. I felt his warm chest on my back. His hands were placed firmly on my hips. I turned to look into his eyes. He was already looking at me. At this moment, when our eyes interlocked, everything was okay. Nobody was in danger and we weren't stuck in a sadistic game. Everything was at peace and everything was quiet. His hands interlocked around my stomach. His dark chocolate eyes made me feel safe. My head was turned in an awkward angle but I leaned into him. My neck was stretching to even get near his face. I closed my eyes and placed my hand on his cheek. I could almost feel his breath on my face. His lips didn't even brush against mine when he pulled back.

"W-What?" I said barely audible and fluttering my eyes open.

"I'm so stupid! Why didn't I think about it before!" Kai said frantically looking through his pockets. "The phone! We can call, right?" Kai shouted dialing on my phone.

"Oh! We didn't try before.." I agreed disappointed at my almost kiss. At this rate, I will never get a kiss. Why am I thinking about kissing at a time like this? I should be focused.

"It doesn't work." Kai's voice cracked. "I can't call anyone." Kai sighed. He threw the phone against the ground in anger. It was no surprise to me, but Kai was very upset. Its weird Kai would let his guard down like that. Did he really think this guy would let us off so easily? Kai furiously continued to dial numbers from my phone, but the phone wouldn't call. Kai began to cry, the first time during all this chaos. Kai's eyes were bloodshot and wet. Tears were streaming down his face as he tried to wipe them quickly. He sniffled and wiped his mouth. I hugged him tightly and he sunk his face into my shoulder. I crushed my body with his, trying to comfort him as much as possible. He quietly sobbed on my shoulder. He must have finally realized this was real and now he was just breaking down. I had only seen Kai cry once before, when he fell down playing basketball and broke his arm. This was a different side of Kai he likes to keep hidden under his jokes and charm.

"Kai, everything will be okay." I promised.

"Thanks, Claire." Kai sniffled into my shoulder. "Let's check out that key." Kai pulled away and tried to smile. He walked over to the small, wooden table and touched the key lightly. When nothing exploded, Kai picked it up. Just as he took a closer look, the phone began to vibrate on the floor.

"That must be the lovely rule maker." Kai said sarcastically.

Kai picked up the ringing phone and clicked the green answer button. No to surprise, it was the voice calling to congratulate us on finding the first key.

"Now you must find two more, these two will be slightly more.." the voice trailed off. "Difficult."

"Great, where are they?" Kai demanded.

"There are ten bathrooms in this house. There is a key, just like the one you a holding, hidden in one of the bathrooms in this house. This time it will be slightly more tricky to find it. Look wisely and good luck." the voice snickered and hung up.

"Alright, better alert the others and keep this key safe." Kai placed the key in his pocket. He turned to walk out the room, but before he grabbed my hand. He held my hand as he led the way. His warm palm against mine comforted me. Kai must of been sweating because his hands were moist and soft. He tightened his grip as we climbed the stairs to the second floor. We shouted out for Marlin and Celia. They both came running towards us.

"What's going on?" Celia asked, looking concerned.

"We found the first key. The next one is hidden in a bathroom according to the person." I responded.

"Okay, bathroom. We will keep looking. Thank goddess you found it because we hadn't up here." Marlin spoke.

"Yeah, well get to work. We will go tell Lumina and Rock." Kai said.

Marlin and Celia turned away and quickly ran into the first bathroom to start searching for the next key. You could hear them throwing stuff searching for the key. Kai took my hand without looking at me once again. He kept his stare forward and continued up the stairs, not looking back once.

We screamed for Lumina and Rock, but nothing on the third floor answered. We yelled their name and screamed we found the key. No answer. Everything was quiet, too quiet. I looked at Kai with fear, but he was just looking straight with wide eyes filled with fear and regret. I began to think once again. Who? Who would do this? There were no serial killers in Forget-Me-Not Valley. No one who would want to harm anyone or anything. Except for that one person. He kept to himself and always looked like he was uncomfortable. He looked angered by other people and never wanted to socialize at festivals and almost never left his house. He lived in Forget-Me-Not Valley, but you wouldn't know. I was afraid of this man, could he be the one?

"Come on, Claire! We have to go! We have to move!" Kai demanded.

Kai was dragging me by the arm and pulling me down the stairs. I couldn't control my legs and I just let Kai guide me thrown the stairs to the second floor.

"What is going on?" I cried.

"Lumina and Rock are missing. For all we know, the kidnapper could still be up there." Kai said looking deep into my eyes. "I thought I heard something move up there, I'm not taking any chances."

We called for Celia and Marlin and to my relief they came running out to us once again. We told them about what happened to Lumina and Rock. Celia was scared, we could see it in her face. Marlin tried to hold it together, but he was beginning to lose his cool. Anyone would. We tried to search for the key, but it was much harder now. Without Lumina and Rock a part of all of us was missing and we couldn't focus on ourselves. What if the mysterious voice killed them? We couldn't think it. We just had to keep going, for them.

After what felt like hours of tedious searching for a tiny key in ten bathrooms we finally found it in the second to last bathroom we searched on the first floor. The small, silver key was hidden in a bottle of shampoo in the shower. Luckily, Kai had seen the bottle we missed and emptied it out, because we would have left it. The caller called, right on que.

"You found the the second key. Good job. Now, you just need to find your friends." The caller chuckled. "Those two keys are exactly the same."

"Then why would you make us find both of them if they are exactly the same?" Kai shouted into the phone.

"LET ME FINISH." The caller screamed back at Kai, frustrated. "Those keys are exactly the same and either one will open the door to where your friends are." The voice paused for a second. "Oh, and Kai, I made you find both keys for my own pleasure." The voice laughed. "Give the phone to Claire, too. Now." He commanded.

Kai handed me the phone, but the call was already disconnected. I placed the phone in my skirt pocket safely.

We all looked like messes. My white shirt had stains and spots and my skirt even had a tear in it. All of our hair was messy. Both Celia's and my own makeup was smeared and dirty. We didn't care though. Looks were the least of our worries. We really did need to pull ourselves together.

"We only have three hours until 6 a.m., when he is supposed to come for us." Marlin said.

"He is already here." I sighed.

"He didn't tell us where they were hidden." Celia said.

"I know, we have to find them." Kai answered.

* * *

**Thank you for enduring one more chapter with me! :) I really hope you liked this chapter.. I'm on summer so I will have WAY more time to write! This chapter took me forever to publish! I'm sorry! I promise chapter 4 will be out soon! Thank you for reading! I'm not going to beg for reviews.. BUT PLEASE REVIEW! XD You have no idea how much it means to get feedback from my readers! :') Constructive critism is always welcome! ****Also, thank you to the wonderful and one and only Floridapanter28 for BETAing my story! (: It helps me so much, thanks Florida! *hugs* And to everyone who reviewed :D **Feel free to PM me too! :) xx. 


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